proprietor bonnie rodwell

Businesswoman and restaurateur Bonnie Rodwell divides her time between her native New Zealand and Songbirds in the Forest near Australia’s Gold Coast.

Bonnie bought the 54-acre rainforest property in the Gold Coast Hinterland in 2004. She recreated Songbirds in the Forest restaurant and developed six villas for guests who want to enjoy all nature has to offer with luxurious accommodation, fine food and wine.

Bonnie has already been rewarded for her efforts. Songbirds in the Forest won every major award in the region within months of opening. Songbirds’ awards include Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant, Best Modern Australian Cuisine , Best Wine List Award and most recently Best Restaurant in a Resort. The retreat has also won a Gold Coast Business Award for Excellence in Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation.

Bonnie’s dream for Songbirds is to give people the ultimate break away, a place where people can do as much or as little as they wish while enjoying sensational food and VIP service,” she says.

Bonnie knows the effort required to bring her ideas to fruition but she is accustomed to hard work and often puts in a 20-hour day. Songbirds is not her first success. Bonnie founded the famous BONZ (Best of New Zealand) boutiques to promote New Zealand made luxury goods to tourists. BONZ now operates in the South Island of New Zealand and includes a contemporary gallery featuring the work of incredibly talented New Zealand artists and in Gold Coast, Upstairs at Marina Mirage, Main Beach.